Electrical apparatus.



HPT. OLSEN.

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION IILED JAN. 10, 1908.

968,594. Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

l l 2 @711 [H J WITNESSES: I E lyEggflfi 3 A'TTORNEY H. T. OLSEN.

ELEGTRIGAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED Jnmo, 190a.

Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

2 SHEBTSSHEET 2.

ATTIORNEY Q5 2 jmviw on WITNESSES:

1n: NORRIS FZIERS co-, WAsulncTcm u c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAAKON T. OLSEN, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T0 WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF EAST PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAAKON T. OLSEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Vilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electrical Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for making the operation of movable members interde pendent and it has special reference to electrically controlled interlocking systems.

The object of my invention is to provide an interlocking system of the class above indicated that shall be simple in arrangement and elfective in operation and specially adapted for use with voltage regulators although its use is not restricted thereto.

Alternating current transformers having secondary windings which are provided with a plurality of intermediate taps are often employed in connection with suitable switching devices for securing a stepby-step vol tage variation or regulation. In order that the change may be relatively gradual for a wide total variation, the number of intermediate taps in the transformer secondary becomes excessive and the switching device cumbersome and expensive. Induction regulators having one stationary and one movable coil are also well known, but they are expensive to construct for wide voltage variations.

According to one embodiment of my present invention, I employ a transformer having a subdivided secondary winding which is provided with a moderate number of taps and constitutes a regulating transformer. I also provide an induction regulator which is capable of producing a total variation of potential equal to the difference of potential existing between adjacent taps in the secondary winding of the transformer. The transformer and the regulator are so combined, and their circuit connections so con trolled by a suitable switching device, that the electromotive forces supplied to an external circuit may be gradually varied over a wide range, in either direction, without producing voltage fluctuations or current disturbances, in changing from one transformer tap to another.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 10, 1908.

Patented Aug. 30, 1910. Serial No. 410,163.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings is a diagrammatic view of a system of regulation embodying my invention, and Figs. 2 and 3 are, respectively, end and side elevations of an electro-responsive locking mechanism which may advantageously be employed in connection with rotatable switching drums for controlling the circuits of the system of Fig. 1.

Although I have, for the purpose of disclosure, illustrated my invention in connection with a system of potential regulation, I do notwish to restrict it in this regard, and those familiar with the art will have no difficulty in applying my improved interlocking mechanism to various fields of usefulness.

Referring to the drawings, alternating current energy is supplied from a suitable source, at any desired voltage, through con ductors 1 and 2 to the primary of the regulating transformer 3. This transformer is provided with a secondary winding 4 having a plurality of intermediate taps 5 to 13, inclusive.

A primary winding 14 of an induction regulator 15 is connected in multiple circuit to the secondary winding 4 of the transformer 3, and a secondary winding 16 of the induction regulator is connected in series with one circuit conductor 17 of a variablevoltage distributing circuit 17l8.

The intermediate taps 5 to 13, inclusive, of the secondary winding 4 are respectively connected to contact fingers 19 to 27, inclusive, of a drum controller 28 which comprises a main drum 29 and an auxiliary drum 30 and is adapted to occupy a plurality of positions a, b, 0, (Z, and 6. One extremity of the conductor 17 is connected to a finger 31 of the drum 28, the secondary winding 16 of the induction regulator being interposed between this contact finger and the distributing circuit, and the conductor 18 is connected to one extremity of the trans former secondary winding at.

The contact-bearing drum 30 is engaged by a plurality of fingers 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, and 37 and the two drums form a part of the same movable element which is further provided with a pair of ratchets or notched gaged by pawls or dogs 40 and 41. These pawls are normally held in engagement with the notches of the ratchets by springs 42 but may be released by supplying current to coils 45 and 46 of electromagnets 43 and 44.

The movable member of the induction regulator is provided with a rotatable disk 47 having a projecting contact arm 48 and two pairs of stationary contact terminals 49 and 50 which are bridged by the contact arm when the induction regulator occupies either one of its extreme positions a: and 2 The circuits for the control magnet coils 45 and 46 are governed by the position of the induction regulator and the auxiliary switching drum 30, as hereinafter explained.

For the purpose of promoting clearness of disclosure, the control drums and ratchets in Fig. 1 are developed into a single plane.

A preferred mechanical embodiment of the interlocking mechanism of my invention is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, to which special reference may now be had. The parts which correspond to those shown in the other figure are designated by the same reference characters. The ratchets 38 and 39 are rigidly secured to the drum shaft 51 and the magnet windings 45 and 46 are here mounted on a single stationary core member 52 having projections 53, 54, 55, and 56,

The pawls 40 and 41 are pivot-ally mounted upon the outer ends of the projections 53 and 54, respectively and are provided with projections 57 and 58, which respectively engage the notches in ratchets 38 and 39. The pawls 40 and 41 are also severally provided with projections 59 and 60 to which U-shaped movable core members 61 and 62 are secured. The outer extremities of the pawls are connected by the spring 42 which holds the projections 57 and 58 in engagement with the notches of the ratchets. The arrangement of parts is such that the movable core members 61 and 62 substantially complete two magnetic circuits through the windings 45 and 46, in conjunction with the stationary core member 52 and its projections. The magnet windings, when energized, move the pawls 40 and 41, upon their pivots to disengage the projections 57 and 58 from the notches of the ratchets. The stationary parts of the device may be supported by any suitable means.

The operation of, and the circuit connections for, the system are as follows: Assunr ing that the induction regulator occupies position as and that the drum controller 28 occupies its off position, as shown in the drawing; if the controller is moved to occupy position a, a secondary circuit is established from one terminal of the secondary winding 4 directly to the line conductor 18 and, from an intermediate tap 5, through conductor 63, contact finger 19, contact member 64 of the drum 29, contact finger 65, conductor 66, secondary winding 16 of induction regulator 15, conductor 67, contact finger 68, contact members 69 and 69*", contact finger 31 and conductor 70 to opposite line conductor 17. In moving the controller from its 05 position to position a, no opposition is encountered from the pawl 41, and it will be observed that the pawl 40 is also free to move into position abut prevents any further movement of the drum in this direction. It is now impossible to change the position of the drum while the induction regulator is being moved from position 00 to position 3 it being possible, however, to return the drum from its position a to its off position when the induction regulator occupies position 00, and to move it forward to the position b when the induction regulator occupies position y. Auxiliary circuits are completed when the controller is in position a, from a positive terminal of a storage battery 71, (which may be replaced by any suitable source of energy) to conductor 72, contact terminals 49 (which are bridged by the contact arm 48 when the induction regulator occupies position m), conductor 73, contact fingers 33 and 32 (which are bridged by a contact member 74), conductor 75, magnet winding 46 and conductor 76 to the negative terminal of the battery, the circuit being completed, when the induction regulator occupies position y, from the conductor 72, through contact fingers 50, conductor 77, contact fingers 36 and 35 (which are bridged by contact member 78), conductor 79 and magnet winding 45 to the negative battery conductor 76. The arrangement of parts is such that the induction regulator acts in opposition to the active portion of the secondary transformer winding 4 and the regulating windings are so designed that the voltage induced in the secondary of the induction regulator is substantially equal to the voltage induced in one section between adj acent taps of the transformer. Consequently, when the induction regulator occupies position :0, and the drum controller occupies position a, zero voltage is impressed upon the distributing circuit 17-18. This voltage is gradually increased as the induction regulator is moved from position 00 to position g until the distributing voltage is equal to the sum of that of transformer tap 5, act ing in conjunction with that of the induction regulator, which is equivalent to that of the transformer tap 6. It is now possible, as already explained, to move the drum controller to position b, and, in passing from one position to the other, contact finger 20 first moves into engagement with a contact member 80 and contact fingers 65 and 68 become respectively disengaged from contact members 64 and 69. In this way, the circuit is first established from the tap 6 of regulating transformer 4 through conductor 81, contact finger 20, contact members 80 and 69*, contact finger31 and conductor 70 to line conductor 17.

As already explained, the voltage impressed upon the distributing circuit, when controller 28 occupies position a and the i11- duction regulator occupies position y, is equal to the voltage of the transformer tap 6 and, consequently, no fluctuation or disturbance will take place when the line connection is established directly through the transformer tap 6 and the regulator secondary is disconnected from the circuits. \Vhen the controller 28 fully occupies position 5, contact finger 20 is disengaged from the contact member 80 and contact finger 21, which is connected by a conductor 82 with the regulator tap 7, moves into engagement with a contact member 83 that is also engaged by contact finger 68. Contact finger 65 engages. the contact member 84, which is connected to contact member 69 consequently, circuit connections are established from the regulator tap 7 through conduc tor 82, contact fingers 21 and 6S, conductor 67, secondary winding 16 of the induction regulator 15 and conductor 66, contact fingers 65 and '31 to the line conductor 17. The induction regulator is thus connected to the transformer tap 7 but its terminals are interchanged so that its electromotive force is opposed to that of the transformer and, consequently, the Voltage impressed upon the line is still the same as before, being equal to the difference between the voltage of the tap 7 and that of the induction regulator. WVith the regulator still in position 3 and the controller occuping position Z), a circuit is established from contact finger 36 through a contact member 85, contact finger 37 and conductor to the magnet winding 46. This magnet winding, when energized, releases the pawl 41 so that the controller may be returned from posi-- tion I) to position a. As the controller approaches position a, however, contact finger 37 becomes disengaged from contact member 85 so that it is impossible to return the controller to its off position. If the induction regulator is now moved from its position 2 toward its position x, the distributing voltage is varied and, when position 00 is reached, another forward movement of the drum controller is permitted. As the con troller aproaches position 0 from position b, the transformer tap 8 is connected di rectly to the discharge circuit and, when the controller occupies this position, the terminals of the induction regulator are again interchanged, and its secondary winding is interposed between the transformer tap 9 and the distributing circuit conductor 17.

From the controller steps already outlined, the operation of the system may be readily understood by those familiar with the art, and I deem it unnecessary to complete a detailed description of the same.

It will be observed that it is impossible to make a mistake in operating the system, and disturbances in the current, as well as in the electromotive force of the line, are avoided.

lVhile I have illustrated a preferred form of mechanical structure for the locking mechanism which is electrically controlled, I do not desire to limit my invention in this regard, and desire that variations in circuit connections and mechanical details which do not depart from the spirit of my invention shall be included within its scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. An interlocking device for movable members comprising ratchets carried by one of the members, engaging pawls, and release magnets therefor, and means dependent upon the positions occupied by both of the members for controlling the application of energy to the release magnets.

2. An interlocking device comprising a pair of oppositely disposed ratchet members, engaging pawls therefor, springs for holding the pawls in engagement with the ratchet members, magnets for withdrawing the pawls, and means for making and breaking the circuits of said magnets.

3. The combination with a rotatable member, ratchets secured thereto, and pawls for engaging the ratchets, of a single spring for holding the pawls in engagement with the ratchets, and an electro-responsive release mechanism comprising a core member having a pair of magnet windings for selectively actuating the pawls.

4. The combination with a rotatable member oppositely notched ratchets mounted thereon and pawls for preventing the rotation of the movable member in either direction, of a single spring for holding the pawls in engagement with the notches of the respective ratchets and an electro-responsive release mechanism comprising a stationary core member to which the pawls are pivotally secured, magnet windings and movable core members for selectively withdrawing the pawls from the ratchets.

5. The combination with a member having a limited operating movement, a second movable member, and independent means for restricting the movement thereof in a forward and in a reverse direction, of means dependent upon the position of the first member for selectively actuating said independent means.

6. The combination with a member having a limited operating movement, a second movable member, ratchet members operatively connected to the second movable member, and stationary engaging pawls for the ratchets, said pawls acting oppositely to prevent movement of the member in either direction, of means dependent upon the position of the first member for selectively Withdrawing the pawls.

7. The combination with a controller drum, ratchet members therefor, pawls that engage the ratchet members and prevent rotation of the drum in either direction, mag nets for Withdrawing the paWls, and a second movable member that is independent of 10 said drum, of means for selectively energizing said magnets according as the sec ond movable member occupies the one or the other of its succeeding extreme positions.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 26th day of Dec., 5

HAAKON T. OLSEN. Witnesses H. A. STEEN, BIRNEY HINES. 

